CES 2016, LAS VEGAS – Driving while tired, distracted or over-stimulated may become a thing of the past, thanks to new technology unveiled by HARMAN International Industries, Incorporated (NYSE:HAR), that measures increases in pupil dilation as an indication of a driver’s mental workload. HARMAN’s new proprietary eye and pupil tracking system measures high cognitive load and mental multitasking in the driver’s seat, and signals the car’s other safety systems to adapt to the driver’s state. The technology represents a major step forward in the domain of Advanced Safety and Driver Monitoring Systems (DMS) for vehicles.

Adoption of in-cabin cameras is growing rapidly, enabling features such as occupant detection and driver drowsiness monitoring. With the introduction of high cognitive load detection, HARMAN’s eye and pupil tracking technology brings additional value to the driver-facing camera. The technology eliminates the need for complex sensors built into seats and steering wheels, or biometric sensors that require physical contact with the driver. This camera continually captures the driver’s pupil dilation, and a proprietary software algorithm analyzes the pupil reflex using advanced filtering and signal processing. The filter isolates and identifies responses triggered by high cognitive load. The calculated outputs are used to intuitively adjust user interfaces, like placing mobile devices in do-not-disturb mode or adjusting ADAS system intervention thresholds to minimize physical and mental distraction to the driver.

“Safety on the road is more important than ever as more vehicles become connected. HARMAN is advancing the state of the art for solutions that balance drivers’ desire to stay connected in the car without a compromise to their safety and security,” said Alon Atsmon, vice president of technology strategy at HARMAN. “Our priority is to arm OEMs with a holistic range of integrated technologies that address both driver wants and needs, and the HARMAN eye and pupil tracking technology is another advanced step toward a more intelligent driving experience.”

HARMAN at CES 2016

Visit the HARMAN showcase during CES 2016 for demonstrations of the company’s full portfolio of connected car and lifestyle audio systems that enable the connected life. The HARMAN experience showcase is located at the Hard Rock Hotel. Follow HARMAN online during CES 2016:

HARMAN (harman.com) designs and engineers connected products and solutions for automakers, consumers and enterprises worldwide, including connected car systems, audio and visual products, enterprise automation solutions and connected services. With leading brands including AKG®, Harman Kardon®, Infinity®, JBL®, Lexicon®, Mark Levinson® and Revel®, HARMAN is admired by audiophiles, musicians and the entertainment venues where they perform around the world. More than 25 million automobiles on the road today are equipped with HARMAN audio and connected car systems. The Company's software services power billions of mobile devices and systems that are connected, integrated and secure across all platforms, from work and home to car and mobile. HARMAN has a workforce of approximately 28,000 people across the Americas, Europe, and Asia and reported sales of $6.4 billion during the 12 months ended September 30, 2015. The Company’s shares are traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol NYSE:HAR.